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And just like that we have no undefeated teams left in the NFL. The 1972 Miami Dolphins remain the only team in NFL history to complete a perfect season. Some thought the 2018 LA Rams would threaten them, but Drew Brees had other ideas.

We're into the business end of the season now, which means the league's top sides are no longer pulling such ridiculous stunts as losing to the Bills or going to overtime against the Browns. The playoffs are in sight now, people. Play time is very much over.

So with just the Titans and Cowboys left to play on Monday Night Football, let's get into what we learned in NFL week nine...

The Saints' win over the Rams shows the value of the number one seed

Home field advantage matters. When you have a dome, Drew Brees and one of the loudest fanbases in the NFL, home field advantage matters a lot. The Saints made it pay on Sunday night, ending the Rams' winning streak and giving themselves a massive opportunity to keep that home field advantage going all the way through January. If the Saints keep playing like this you can't see anyone beating them in the Superdome.

Alvin Kamara did the near-impossible and outshone Todd Gurley on the night. Kamara's three scores helped the Saints rack up 35 points by half time and jump out to an 18-point lead. After that it was the Drew Brees show - he passed for 346 yards and four touchdowns, a whopping 211 of those yards finding their way into the hands of Michael Thomas, who breezed past Marcus Peters for a 72-yard score late in the fourth quarter to all but ice the game.

Alvin Kamara hurdles Rams safety Lamarcus Joyner. Kamara had three touchdowns in the first half and outshone Todd Gurley on the nightCredit:
Derick E. Hingle/USA Today

In a game with zero sacks on either side the New Orleans defense did their job when it mattered most. They cemented their claim as the league's best against the run by holding Gurley to 68 yards on the ground, and PJ Williams followed last week's decisive pick against the Vikings with a number of big stops late in the game.

The 2018 Rams are still an absolute force to be reckoned with, but the Saints were comfortably better on the night, playing in their familiar back yard. Whichever of these two gets the number one seed, you'd bet on them going all the way to the Super Bowl.

Brady bests Rodgers in their last ever battle

Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady share what may be their last ever moment on an NFL field after the gameCredit:
AP Photo/Steven Senne

I say last ever battle, this this was only the second time these two modern greats have faced off - the first was in week 13, 2014, when the Packers beat the Patriots 26-21 in Green Bay. The next time they're slated to play each other isn't until 2022, when Brady will be 45 and Rodgers 39. They may still be there - with Brady you can never rule it out - but in all likelihood this was the second and final time we'll ever see these two share a field.

Ironically it was a pass by Julian Edelman, not Brady, which set up the Patriots' go-ahead touchdown and put them in control in the fourth quarter. Brady threw a lateral to Edelman, who tossed it back over him to James White, who took it almost 40 yards and finished just short of the goal line.

Brady (22/35, 294 yards, one touchdown) did have moments of his own. He continued to grow his rapport with Josh Gordon, finding the former Browns receiver five times for 130 yards, including a 55-yard score. Rodgers (24/43, 259 yards, two touchdowns) was frequently put under pressure by the Patriots defense, but his side once again lost the game because of a costly fumble. Lawrence Guy's hit on Aaron Jones in the fourth quarter knocked the ball loose and it was recovered by Stephon Gilmore. Fourteen unanswered points made sure of the win for Bill Belichick, who at 7-2 is exactly where we expect him to be.

The Steelers are a different team to the one the Ravens beat in week four

James Conner ran the show again for the Steelers, picking up more than 100 rushing yardsCredit:
Tommy Gilligan/USA Today

Ben Roethlisberger may have finished with a near identical stat line (28/47, 270 yards, two touchdowns this week vs 27/47, 274 yards, one touchdown in week four), but this time the Steelers controlled the Ravens, and punished the league's number one defense on the ground.

James Conner had just 19 yards from nine carries five weeks ago, but he went off on Baltimore on Sunday, with 24 carries for 107 yards and seven receptions for 56 and a score. That's four 100-yard rushing games in a row now for Conner, who is starting to look like of the NFL's best running backs.

Pittsburgh's win gives them a bit of breathing room at the top of the AFC North - a division it would now be a big surprise if they didn't win. The Ravens, meanwhile, have gone from being a sneaky Super Bowl shout three weeks ago to an outsider to even make the playoffs. Such is life in the NFL.

The Purple People Eaters took a trip to the buffet

Matthew Stafford is going to be having nightmares about the colour purple for the next month. The Vikings looked like big school bullies as they sacked him a franchise record 10 times - Danielle Hunter bagging 3.5 to give him a league-leading 11.5 on the season as well as taking a fumble recovery to the house. The Minnesota defensive line took Stafford's lunch money and made him eat dirt all night long. There might have been some worms thrown in for a bit of protein.

The constant pressure meant Stafford (25/39, 199 yards, zero touchdowns, zero interceptions) was never able to get his offense moving, and Kirk Cousins (18/22, 164 yards, one touchdown, one interception) didn't need any Bonfire Night fireworks to get past his new division rivals, who are probably now out of the playoff race.

If you just look at the box score it might seem as though Minnesota finally got their run game going. Dalvin Cook - a surprise return from injury - had ten carries for 89 yards, but 70 of those came on one big play on which Cook tore up the sideline and was stopped just short of the end zone. The good news for the Vikings and Cook's fantasy owners alike is that he hit a top speed of 22.07mph on that run - the fastest recorded by any player this season. Doesn't seem like that hamstring injury is troubling him too much.

No one will stop the Chiefs offense this season

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce celebrates a third-quarter touchdown which helped put his team in total control in ClevelandCredit:
Scott R. Galvin/USA Today

In nine games, the Chiefs have scored 37 or more points five times. They've scored less than 30 just once, against the Broncos in week four, and they won that game anyway. They managed 37 again against a good Browns defense this week as Patrick Mahomes wrote his name in the history books once more, this time tying Andrew Luck's record eight consecutive 300-yard games. Mahomes went 23/32 for 375, three scores and a pick as the Chiefs pulled away in the second half and matched the Rams' league-best 8-1 record.

It seems a different pair of Chiefs weapons go off every week. This time is was Kareem Hunt and Travis Kelce, who had five touchdowns and 240 yards between them.

The Browns did well to hang around until half time, and looked better free from the shackles of Hue Jackson, whose series of outrageous claims in the media this week do not paint him in a good light. You can't go 1-31 and claim you were never given a fair chance, Hue.

The Chargers' special teams will eventually cost them dear

It was all smiles for Melvin Gordon and the Chargers, but things could have been very differentCredit:
Joe Nicholson/USA Today

The Chargers were a dropped pass away from an unforgivable overtime trial against Seattle, and the blame could have been laid solely at the feet of their special teams. Yes, you're right, you have heard that one before. Caleb Sturgis missed two extra points and a field goal which gave Russell Wilson the opportunity to delve into his bag of tricks, but in the end David Moore's drop meant Seattle fell agonisingly short.

On the plus side for LA, their offense did a lot of things well. Philip Rivers had some typically beautiful passes among his 13 completions for 228 yards and two scores, and Melvin Gordon made it six touchdowns in six games in yet another 100-yard rushing performance. He's like a Todd Gurley lite, and I mean that in the most respectful of ways.

The Seahawks look like a team capable of making a bit of noise in the playoffs, but may be blocked by a pretty hideous schedule. They next three games are against the Rams in LA, home to the Packers and then at the Panthers in Charlotte. Oof.

But back to the Chargers, and my main takeaway from this game. If they don't get themselves a competent kicker and start cutting out needless mistakes on special teams it's going to cost them a game they can't afford to lose. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Ignore their records - the Falcons are far better than the Redskins

Julio Jones finally scores his first touchdown in almost a year as the Falcons beat the RedskinsCredit:
AP Photo/Susan Walsh

Washington may be winning their division, and Atlanta may have a mountain to climb to even stand a shot at the playoffs, but it was very clear which was the better team on Sunday. The Falcons thrashed the Redskins 38-14, with Tevin Coleman blowing up a supposedly elite run defense and Matt Ryan carving them up through the air. Ryan finished 26/38 for 350 yards, four touchdowns and a pick, and Coleman racked up 156 yards from scrimmage, finding the end zone twice.

Even Julio Jones finally got into the paint! His 35-yard catch-and-run was his first touchdown in 343 days - that's week 12 of 2017. He caught 898 yards-worth of passes this season before getting a score.

For Washington this game was a bleak representation of what happens when Adrian Peterson doesn't carry the whole offense on his shoulders. He had nine carries for just 19 yards. Forced to go through the air, Alex Smith's stats didn't look bad (30/46, 306 yards, one touchdown, one interception) but he was still very much the boring iteration of Smith, and he never threatened to lead the Redskins to a triumphant comeback.

The Panthers offense is up there with the best

Carolina matched New Orleans, putting up a franchise record 35 points in the first half as their offense rolled into the second half of the season. Christian McCaffery had 157 yards from scrimmage and two scores and Norv Turner made great use of second-year receiver Curtis Samuel, who also found the end zone twice - one a zig-zagging double reverse out of the backfield on which he covered 104 yards on a 33-yard score.

The Panthers offense has really hit its stride in the past few weeks, and this is now a team worth keeping more than one eye on. Putting up 42 of the Bucs defense may not be a major feat, but remember how Cam Newton orchestrated a huge comeback against the Eagles and then punished the Ravens last week.

One for the highlight reel: Greg Olsen's one-handed grab to turn a third-and-long into a score.

Takeaways are vital to the Bears' success

You look at the Bears' 41 points, then you look at their offensive numbers, and something doesn't quite add up. Then you remember they were playing Nathan Peterman this week. Peterman threw three more interceptions, including a pick six to Leonard Floyd, and the Bears defense also returned a fumble for a touchdown, meaning the Chicago offense barely needed to turn up. The Bills offense is so bad at this point that any team who doesn't outscore it should be immediately booted from the league, tbqh.

Jordan Howard rushed in two scores as he continues to become a bigger presence in this Bears attack, but Tarik Cohen was a non-factor outside of the return game. I suppose when you're already 28-0 up at half time there's not any point in risking him.

This game is a perfect blueprint for how the Bears should be winning. If their defense can get a couple of takeaways a game and put Mitchell Trubisky in good positions this team can beat just about anyone, but in a straight-up shootout against a top roster they'll probably fall short.

The Texans' great escape continues - with a huge dose of luck

The Texans celebrate the last-second field goal miss which handed them the win over DenverCredit:
AP Photo/Jack Dempsey

Broncos kicker Brandon McManus missed a game-winning 51-yard field goal and the Texans made it six wins in a row - they're now heavy favourites to win the AFC South and make the playoffs despite starting 0-3. Just eight per cent of teams to have started the season with three straight defeats have ever made it to January, but Houston may need a little more luck to make it if this week's Will Fuller-less offense is a sign of things to come. Deshaun Watson (17/24, 213 yards, two touchdowns) was far less explosive without the wideout with whom he's built up a strong rapport in just two half-seasons.

Demaryius Thomas had three catches for 61 yards in a solid debut against his old team, and DeAndre Hopkins had 105 yards and a score, but there was no run game for Houston outside of Watson, who rushed for 38 yards on six carries.

Good job the Texans defense is showing up week after week. JJ Watt and Jadeveon Clowney each added another sack to their tallies, and safeties Tyrann Matthieu and Justin Reid were also impressive. Fine against Denver, but flashes of Watson and a solid defense won't be enough against a team like the Chiefs.

Sam Darnold's interceptions are starting to become a genuine worry

Sam Darnold threw four more picks against the Dolphins this weekCredit:
Steve Mitchell/uSA Today

Sam Darnold threw four more interceptions - one of which Jerome Baker took to the house - as his reckless ball placement once again cost the Jets. Darnold now has the unwelcome honour of leading the league in picks with 14. Yes, he's a rookie, and should be allowed to make mistakes, but Darnold's last few performances will have planted little seedlings of doubt into the back of Jets fans' mind.

Neither team scored an offensive touchdown as the Dolphins sealed an extremely uninspiring 13-6 win which keeps them in the AFC playoff hunt.